Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 1 - 13 of 13
John Samuel VanHoose, 79, of Lake Wales passed away Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020 at Advent Health Lake Wales. John was born September 1, 1941 in Paintsville, KY to the late Angus “Hoosie” VanHoose and Mary Newsome VanHoose. John made Florida his home over 20 years ago after spending 20 years RVing to 49 out of the 50 states. He was a retired college assistant professor at Morehead State University with a master’s degree in Industrial Education, Woodcrafts and Teacher Instruction in the vocational field. He enjoyed fishing and U...
Lake Wales City Commissioner Curtis Gibson got tired of seeing trash along Burns Avenue when he took his morning walk. So he obtained city support and enlisted sponsors for the first Crown Jewel Cleanup starting at 7 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26. Rotary on the Ridge will staff a volunteer check-in tent outside Grace Healthcare at the corner of Burns Avenue and U.S. 17/Scenic Highway. Grace is allowing volunteers to park in their lot. Keep Polk County Beautiful is providing trash ba...
Leroy Bass, 75 of Lake Wales, died at Advent Health Hospital Lake Wales. He was born Jan. 1, 1945. Services are incomplete. Epps Memorial Funeral Home in Lake Wales is handling arrangements....
Walter Squire Williams, 44, passed away Aug. 29, 2020 at Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. He was born Nov. 3, 1975 in Bartow and spent his entire youth in Lake Wales. He graduated from Lake Wales High School then went on to graduate from Culinary School in Lakeland. His love of cooking was a passion of his and it travelled with him wherever he went. Walt loved his family and friends and had a dry sense of humor that would send everyone into hysterics. Walt lived a life...
Crystal Higbee gave up a good job as a surgical tech to answer a special calling to become president of Circle of Friends Ministry. Higbee admits like in the story of Jonah and the whale she resisted at first, challenging God to offer clear direction by having retiring ministry founder Mertice Kelly approach her directly about the job. Higbee started part-time in February and stepped out on faith in June to become the ministry's full-time leader. In just a few short months...
Charles Atmore, 73, of Babson Park died Sept. 19, 2020 in Lakeland, Florida He was born March 17, 1947. Services are incomplete. Epps Memorial Funeral Home in Lake Wales is handling arrangements....
Polk Vision welcomed 18 members of Leadership Polk Class XIV on Thursday, Sept. 17 at the Lone Palm Club. As the only countywide leadership development program in Polk County, Leadership Polk is comprised of individuals who have demonstrated a high level of civic engagement in their local community. Started in 2007, the program brings together accomplished leaders from across the county with the goal of developing a diverse network of resourceful, informed and proactive...
Since his appointment June 2, Interim City Manager James Slaton has worked closely with Lake Wales Police Chief Chris Velasquez to address commissioner and city concerns. Slaton recently emailed an update to commissioners along with a more detailed report from Velasquez, which he said described "positive changes and improvements that are now taking place." Slaton also said he would in the near future be bringing forward for commission consideration an agenda item with costs an...
The Lake Wales Public Library, with the assistance of lakewalesnews.net, has revived a tradition that existed in our local weekly newspaper for many years, the publication of a sampling of new books available at our library. The list will be updated weekly. The Lake Wales Public Library continues to offer safe door-side pickup of materials during our current hours of operation. Call the library to request that holds are placed on items for pickup at the Lake Wales Public...
The newly recreated Citizens and Police Community Relations Advisory Committee held its first meeting Monday, Sept. 21 to organize and get acquainted. The Lake Wales City Commission re-established the committee in August with the following purposes: - Providing a forum for citizens to express their opinions about police procedures and to receive informal information from the police department regarding police procedures. - Providing a forum for citizens and the police...
Al Goldstein didn't realize being a Lake Wales city commissioner would be so time-consuming, but he's eager to sign up for another three years. He was elected without opposition in April 2019 after incumbent Commissioner Tonya Stewart failed to qualify to run for re-election. He has already started campaigning for the District 27, Seat 4 that will be filled in the April 2021 municipal election. "I'm finally understanding the job of a city commissioner," Goldstein said....
Roman Hernandez, Jr., 54, of Lake Wales passed away Monday, Sept. 21, 2020 at Advent Health Lake Wales. He was born August 27, 1966 in Uvalde, TX to Roman and Julia Hernandez of Lake Wales, he came here from Texas when he was four years old. He was a self-employed auto mechanic. Roman enjoyed painting and working on cars; he loved his family dearly, especially his nieces and nephews. He would give you the shirt off his back and was his mom's right hand. Roman was preceded in...
The Lake Wales Charter Review Committee is holding a public forum at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 to ensure citizens have an opportunity for input into proposed charter changes. The five-member committee has been meeting twice monthly since July, but most of the suggested changes have come from city commissioners, not the public. Interested people may attend in person at the city administration building, 201 W. Central Ave. or can register to participate online at...
